Steering device for vehicles.



A. D. BAKER. STEERING DEVICE FOR VEHIGLBS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19.1910.

Patented Sept. 13, 1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR D. BAKER, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

STEERING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR D. BAKER, a citizen of the United States,residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SteeringDevices for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steering devices for vehicles and has specialreference to improvements in means and manner of steering ridingattachments for harrows.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means to permitthe riding attachment to be steered at an angle to the direction of pullin drawing the vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to permit the steering means to bemanipulated by the feet of the driver, so that he may give his undividedattention to the driving of the horses or other motive force drawing theharrow and the riding attachment.

Another object of the invention is to permit the riding attachment to besteered atan angle to the direction of pull in drawing same, in order toovercome and compensate for slippage when operating upon a hillside, orto enable the operator to steer same so as to avoid running into rows ofplantings.

WVith the above and other objects in View, the present inventionconsists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter morefully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, andparticularly pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changesmay be made in the form, proportion, size and minor details withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of theinvention.

In the drawings :Figure l is a top or plan View of my invention. Fig. 2is a front view thereof, with the bar for connecting the attachment to aharrow removed. Fig. 3 is a detail View of the steering head and footlever for operating same. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the tripmember for holding the steering gear in a'tlixed position.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the axle 5has mounted thereon the usual draft bar 6, to which is attached thetongue for drawing the Vehicle, or which may have connecting bars 7, asshown, formed integral therewith, for attaching the vehicle to a harrowor other implement. Stay bars 8 connect the Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed March 19, 1910.

Patented Sept. 13, 1910.

Serial No. 550,383.

draft bar with the axle in order to strengthen and impart rigidity tothe frame as a whole. The axle is provided at each end with a fixed head5), having a central bore to receive the vertical arms 10 of theL-shaped spindle '11, the wheels 1). being suitably mounted on the otherarm of the spindle. The upper ends of the spindles are squared asindicated at 13, arms 14 having squared openings at one end to receivethe squared ends of the spindles, and effect a secure looking engagementbetween said parts and turning of the spindles upon movement of thearms. Fixedly bolted to the upper side of the arms 14. are inwardlyextending steering levers 15, upon the free ends of which are mountedpedal members 16, having upturned ends so as to prevent the feet of theoperator from slipping, the pedals being disposed the proper distancefrom the seat 17, so that a person sitting thereon can convenientlyreach same with the feet. In order that the opposite wheels may besteered in unison, the arms 14 are pivotally connected at their outerends by a tie bar 18, which carries a notched plate 19 fixedly securedthereto intermediate its ends, one end of a foot pedal 20 being adaptedto engage said notches and lock the tie bar against movement. Thenotched plate 19, which is reversible, is curved on its opposite edgesso that the lateral. shift of the tie bar, which varies according to thedegree of angle at which the wheels are steered, will bring the notcheson the plate in proper position with relation to the foot pedal 20. Thenotches, by reason of being thus relatively disposed in an are, arecaused to move the proper distance, upon lateral shifting of the barsfor engagement by the foot pedal.

The notched plate may he unbolted and replaced in reversed position, sothat only one notch will be presented for engagement by the foottreadle, such being used only when it is desired to look the steeringgear in order to have the carriage move permanently straight ahead.Except when thus locked the manipulation of the steering gear iscontrolled entirely and held to the desired position by the feet of theoperator.

It is obvious that by the use of a steering a1"angement such as hereindescribed, the operator may compensate for any slippage of the vehiclewhen working on a hillside, by steering the wheels at an angle to thedirection in which the harrow or other implement to which the vehicleisattached is drawn. Furthermore, the steering device permits a muchshorter turn to be made than is possible when the wheels are mountedupon a fixed spindle.

While I have described and shown my steering device in connection with ariding attachment for harrows, it is evident that same may as readily beadapted for use in connection with other wheeled devices, and Itherefore do not limit myself to the particular use herein described andshown in the drawings.

hat I claim is 1. In a vehicle, the combination with the wheels, ofpivotal spindles upon which said wieels are mounted, crank-arms carriedby the spindles, a tie-bar connecting the ends of the cranlearms, footlevers attached to the ends of the crank-arms, and adjustable means forlocking the tie-bar against movement.

2. In a vehicle, the combination with the wheels, of pivotal spindlesupon which said wheels are mounted, crank-arms carried by the spindles,a tie-bar pivotally connected at its ends to the crank-arms, foot leversattached to the ends of the crank-arms, a double convex notched platemounted on the tietached at one end to the crank-arms and extendinginwardly and upwardly so as to clear the tie-bar, and means operable tolock the tiebar against movement.

l. In a vehicle, the combination with the wheels, of pivotal'spindlesupon which said wheels are mounted, crank arms connected with saidspindles, a tie-bar connecting the ends of said crank arms, a notchedplate secured to said tie-bar, a foot treadle adapted to engage saidnotches to lock the bar against movement, and foot levers connected withthe ends of the crank-arms to serve as a foot rest and as a means forsteering the wheels.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR D. BAKER. Witnesses GEO. A. KNoBLocK, JOHN M. STAPLES.

